Kansas advances to Monday night’s title game against Kentucky, which defeated Louisville 69-61.

“I think it’s even more of a thrill for us right not because I don’t think anybody probably thought we could get here,” Kansas coach Bill Self said. “We still haven’t played a terrific game yet in the tournament, but some how these guys find ways to win games.”

The final seconds of the second game were among the most frenzied of the tournament as Kansas furiously tried to hold a lead.

Kansas guard Tyshawn Taylor made two free throws with 8.3 seconds left to put the Jayhawks up by three. Taylor then stole the inbounds pass but, instead of holding the ball, made an errant pass out of bounds.

Kansas survived the mistake, though, and decided to foul Ohio State with a three-point lead.

Ohio State guard Aaron Craft made the first free throw, with 2.9 seconds left, then intentionally missed the second. Craft, though, was called for a lane violation and Kansas was awarded the ball. The Jayhawks then ran out the clock.

Ohio State players seemed shocked or unaware of what had happened.

Interestingly, in the 2008 NCAA title game, Memphis, up by three, failed to foul Kansas as the Jayhawks raced downcourt at the end of the game.

Mario Chalmers hit a 3-point shot to tie the game and Kansas won the title in overtime.

Kansas (32-6) trailed Saturday’s game by as many as 13 points.

The Jayhawks took the lead at 2-0 but did not lead again until Travis Releford made two free throws with 2:48 left to put his team up 56-55

“That’s been our thing all year, coming from being down,” Kansas’ All-America forward Thomas Robinson said. “I don’t like it but we keep on doing it.”

The game swayed back and forth in the second half. Kansas led by three with 1:12 left and thought it had more when Jeff Withey thought he lifted the lead to five on a basket with 27 seconds left.

Withey, though, was called for traveling.

Ohio State cut the lead to one with 9.6 seconds left on William Buford’s follow shot.

Buckeyes star Jared Sullinger, who sat out a Dec. 10 loss to Kansas with back spasms, didn’t sit this game out. He finished with 13 points and it appeared early he would be the difference maker.

“I mean we can’t blame it on anything,” Sullinger said of the loss. “We had a great season. We had a lot of doubters this season. Nobody expected us to get this far.”

The Buckeyes (31-8) dominated the first half and took a 34-25 lead to the locker room. The most positive sign Buford making all three of his first-half attempts.

Buford is Ohio State’s fourth all-time leading scorer but had made only 13 of 44 shots in four previous tournament games. He finished with 19 points.

Thomas Robinson, the All-America forward, led Kansas with 19 points.

Kansas and Ohio State couldn’t match the pregame hype that engulfed Saturday’s matchup between Louisville and Kentucky. That was a blood feud between schools that have combined for nine national titles.

The NCAA nightcap, though, came with plenty of lineage. Kansas and Ohio State have 24 combined Final Four appearances.

The schools, though, are also known for coming up short in the NCAA tournament.

Ohio State won the title in 1960 but finished second in 1939, '61, '62 and 2007.

Kansas has three titles — 1952, ’88 and 2008 — but has five second-place finishes. The most painful defeat was suffered by the 1957 squad, led by Wilt Chamberlain, which lost the championship game in triple-overtime to North Carolina.

Kansas knows the stakes now. It either will earn its fourth title or finish second for a sixth time.